Board Meeting Minutes 5-17-21

LIBRARY BOARD MEETING
Monday, May 17, 2021
Hybrid In-Person & Via Zoom
7:00 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT

Anita Forte-Scott, President; Julie Wroblewski Bosshart, Vice-President/Secretary; David Jonen, Treasurer; Jillian Bernas; Erin Flannigan-Davies; Hannah Hyman; Theresa Seyring

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT

STUDENT TRUSTEES PRESENT

Araha Uday, Ameenah Zawahir

OTHERS PRESENT

Allison, Kurt Asprooth, Candy’s Phone, Michelle Cilafa, Jamie Clar, Amber Creger, David Delach, Dina, Tom Featherstone, Emily Gilbert, Geoffrey Gilbert, Justine Gilbert, Bethmarie Gooding, Janet Glatzhofer, Scott Harrod, Amber Hastings, Jennifer Hunt, Jen, Linda Jensen, Jessica, Joe, Blake Kindl, Mary Kirshbaum, Alex Krug, Mel Cowen, Michelle, Annie Miskewitch, Kathy Morgan, Amy Mueller, Tiffany Nash, Kate Niehoff, Anna Phan, Janet Pietrini, Dan Pohrte, Abby Pye, Austin Pye, Baby Pye, Carole Pye, Fenae Maria Pye, Jim Pye, Kathy Pye, Mary Jo Pye, Theo Pye, Greg Ring, Jason Santos, Nick Scipione, Joanne Schultz, Hollis Sienkiewicz, Sarah Strzalka, Magan Szwarek, Lori Teipel, Gail Tobin, Beth Valenziano, Doug Van Eynde, Nan Van Eynde, Jan Van Klavern, Emily Vinci, Barb Ziffra, MZ Ziffra

PUBLIC COMMENTS

No comments

BOARD COMMENTS

Trustee Hyman thanked the Board and shared what an honor it has been to serve the community. She is very proud of what the Board has been able to accomplish during her term, especially with the recent strides in the Library’s accessibility and the services offered to patrons during the pandemic. She will carry this positive experience with her as she moves forward.

Treasurer Jonen commented it was great to see so many visitors in the Library and finds it very encouraging. He takes great pride in what the Library has accomplished in the last four years considering the challenges faced. He thanked the staff and Leadership Team for their help guiding him through the Trustee process. He has a greater appreciation for what it means to be civically engaged after this experience and wished the new Board members all the best.

Trustee Flannigan-Davies shared how proud she is of serving on the Board, with particular note of being involved with choosing Annie Miskewitch as the newest Executive Director. She believes the Library couldn’t be in better hands. She also thanked Director of Finance Elizabeth Valenziano and Director of Marketing Hollis Sienkiewicz, and in particular President Forte-Scott for her help and guidance during her time as a Trustee. She thanked the incoming and current Board members for volunteering their time, talents and passion for the Library.

Trustee Bernas attended the RAILS strategic planning session, which was a good overview and also brought to her attention the importance of doing an environmental scan during strategic planning. She mentioned the upcoming RAILS disaster planning webinar could also be helpful. With the CDC recently updating their mask guidelines to allow vaccinated individuals to go without a mask in public spaces, she hopes the Library can soon update their mask policy. She needed to renew her Library card, and commented on what an easy process it was. She also got her daughter’s first Library card, and stated that it’s been a pleasure to serve on the Board alongside Trustees Jonen, Hyman and Flannigan-Davies.

Trustee Seyring also attended the RAILS strategic planning session and the experience made her believe the Library is in a good place with the upcoming strategic planning process. She was able to attend the Trustee Bootcamp again. She said goodbye to the three outgoing Trustees and noted it was a great experience working with them and she will miss them.

Vice-President Wroblewski Bosshart thanked Trustees Hyman, Jonen and Flannigan-Davis for their service and is excited to welcome new members onto the Board today.

RAILS - Ms. Hyman

No RAILS update.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Trustee Flannigan-Davies moved and Trustee Bernas seconded that:

The April 19, 2021, Regular Board Meeting Minutes be approved.

Discussion included corrections, and if the registered trademark symbol next to Schaumburg Library Comic Con® was necessary, and the symbol is mandatory under our usage agreement with Comic Con®. The names recorded in the Board minutes under Others Present was discussed since a handful of names may be pseudonyms, but it was decided these possibly inaccurate names are a current reality of virtual meetings and the names should be kept as presented.

Roll Call Vote:

Mrs. Wroblewski Bosshart Yes

Mr. Jonen Yes

Ms. Bernas Yes

Ms. Flannigan-Davies Yes

Ms. Hyman Yes

Mrs. Seyring Yes

Ms. Forte-Scott Yes

The motion passed unanimously.

 

APPROVAL OF BILLS

Trustee Hyman moved and Treasurer Jonen seconded that:

The Library Board approve the April 2021 Bill List.

Roll Call Vote:

Mrs. Wroblewski Bosshart Yes

Mr. Jonen Yes

Ms. Bernas Yes

Ms. Flannigan-Davies Yes

Ms. Hyman Yes

Mrs. Seyring Yes

Ms. Forte-Scott Yes

The motion passed unanimously.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

Treasurer Jonen explained the General Fund balance decreased by $683,000 due to expenses exceeding revenue. Property taxes received in April were approximately $625,000. The Building and Equipment Special Reserve fund decreased by $153,000 due primarily to the Central roofing project expenses. Total revenues for April were close to $650,000. Tax revenues received so far in May are $937,000. Physical books and materials are tracking below budget, but increased over last fiscal year as costs were low last April due to the Illinois Stay-At-Home order. Wages and benefits continue to show favorable variances due to a reduction in staffing and operating hours. A small reduction in operating hours for the next fiscal year are anticipated to remain in sync with the current budget. Favorable variants at the department level are due to reduced staffing. All departments are favorable when evaluating percent of budget to percent of year elapsed. Staffing will be closely evaluated in preparation of the upcoming budget year.

Discussion included how many months the reduced hours are projected out in the budget. No final decisions have been made of when full return to normal hours will resume, but the branches will return to pre-Covid hours beginning June 1. Central’s return is still being evaluated based on staffing, statistics, and usage.

CERTIFICATION OF LIBRARY BOARD ELECTION RESULTS

Karen Yarbrough, County Clerk of Cook County, has certified the election results, and Executive Director Miskewitch announced that Anita Forte-Scott, Emily Gilbert, Amy Mueller, and Carol Pye have been elected to serve on the Schaumburg Township District Library Board of Trustees.

SWEARING IN OF NEW TRUSTEES

Vice-President/Secretary Wroblewski-Bosshart administered the Oath of Office to Anita Forte-Scott, Emily Gilbert, Amy Mueller, and Carol Pye.

ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO AGENDA

The presentation from Product Architect + Design will be moved to before the President’s Report.

The Student Advisory Trustee Report will be moved after Product Architect + Design.

PRESENTATION FROM PRODUCT ARCHITECT + DESIGN & FEATHERSTONE CONSTRUCTION

Architects Tiffany Nash and Dan Pohrte reviewed the current Central second floor plan and the proposed updated floorplan and design renderings. The floorplan includes a redesigned staff area with Reference and Digital Services relocations to join the rest of the other staff areas. The teen space is proposed to move, with an innovation and business space going into that current area. Connecting these two spaces would be a program room, and together the three connected spaces could be opened up to create one large room for programs. Additional bathrooms would be added near the stairs and elevator, and local history would get its own designated quiet room.

Discussion included what sets the potential innovation and business center apart from the Workshop at Central. The Workshop has some limited capacities based on ventilation and size, and the innovation center would have more options for program and patron use. The non-fiction shelves will be moved and angled in the renovation, with a reduction of 20% less shelving from the current layout, but the percentage of collection loss would most likely be smaller. The safety of a glass wall around the staircase was questioned but was mentioned it’s very safe and up to code. Making furniture accessible for all ages and mobilities was stressed, and the video game area in the Teen Space will return with the renovation, but with a mobile unit instead of on the wall as it is currently.

Tom Featherstone and Mel Cowen reviewed the budget and potential construction phase details. Discussion included the potential cost being $10.7 million, with several Board members voicing the opinion that the cost is too high, but the construction contracts would go out to bid and the final costs would be different after the bid awards are chosen.

STUDENT ADVISOR TRUSTEE REPORT

SATs Araha Uday and Ameenah Zawahir updated the PowerPoint and shared the Teen Department’s summer internship with local high school’s career advisors. They also helped with the Summer Challenge promotion video, and are looking forward to the Summer Challenge.

Discussion included President Forte-Scott thanking the SATs for their service during their terms, and are invited to the June meeting to be formally recognized. Araha thanked the Board for the opportunity to contribute their voices and hopes they’ve helped other teens learn more about their Library.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

President Forte-Scott shared she has been a Board President seven or eight times, and the last three years of her current term as President has been a marathon of accomplishments for the Library and Board. As a patron of the Library, she is thankful for all the Library does for the community and thanked everyone who helps it run smoothly and commented on a job well done. She thanked the Board members for choosing her as the Board President for several different terms.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Executive Director Miskewitch shared that website traffic is up and wi-fi sessions have increased over 500% since last year. That number is anticipated to increase with the Library’s partnering with the Village of Schaumburg to extend our wi-fi signal to Town Square. The self-checks are continuing to gain usage with patrons, and the pick-up lockers have been used as early as 3 a.m. and as late as 10 p.m. Ms. Miskewitch emphasized that this is an extension of services past traditional operating hours. She thanked Financial Director, Elizabeth Valenciano for her assistance with the upcoming fiscal year budget preparations. The budget binders will be available in the next week for the upcoming June budget meetings. After the CDC announcement about vaccinated individuals no longer needing masks inside, the Library is waiting for guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health and Governor Pritzker’s office before making any changes to the mask policy.

Discussion included some details about where the funding for the second-floor renovation would come from within the current budget, but very little of the total construction costs would be within the 2021-2022 fiscal year since the project is not anticipated to go out to bid until Spring 2022. Trustee Wroblewski Bosshart would like any other potential renovation projects for the next several years plus the anticipated funds needed to be shared with the Board to confirm the Library has the budget to afford the proposed $10 million for the second-floor remodel.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Deputy Director Hunt explained in January and February of this year the Library committed to planning a handful of outdoor programs for patrons this summer. Registration for these Town Square events recently opened and they were full within 15 minutes. They will review the possibility of opening up capacity limits to be in line with state and local guidelines. The Library is very excited and proud to host the Smithsonian exhibit The Bias Inside Us, covering 2,500 square feet on both floors of the Central Library. The exhibit is based on research from Anthony Greenwald and Mahzarin Banaji and their book Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People. This exhibit is expected to bring visitors from across the Chicagoland area.

Discussion included clarification of her Fast Forward Illinois Leadership Cohort. The pick-up lockers for the branches don’t have a set installation date yet, but IT Director Santos will get an update in the next few weeks.

DEPARTMENT REPORTS

Digital Services – Sarah Strzalka

Digital Services Manager Sarah Strzalka explained her department’s work, including managing the Library website and online resources, which involves collaboration with every department in the Library. Our Library’s catalogue is unique as it is designed in-house by Andrew Krause for our stand-alone library. This gives us the flexibility to make it as functional and user friendly as possible. They work closely with Access Services for cataloguing materials, Marketing for promoting Library services, and Programs and Outreach on events. In the past year there have been more than 1.1 million-page views on our website. The most popular page is the e-Books and e-Audiobooks page, leading to resources like Overdrive, Hoopla, and Kanopy. Hoopla usage has increased over 400% in the past year, with Ancestry increasing over 300%. After patron suggestions to make the catalog more browsable, Digital Services created the Readers page to help engage patrons with our collections and services. The new Events page was recently launched after months of development, created from scratch with input from Marketing and Programs and Outreach.

Discussion included complimenting the Event page redesign and thanking the Digital Services team for keeping the website updated during all the changes in the last year.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Personnel Committee – Ms. Wroblewski Bosshart

Trustee Wroblewski Bosshart and Trustee Seyring met with Executive Director Miskewitch, Deputy Director Hunt and Financial Director Valenziano to discuss progress on the Employee Handbook, the short-term disability and dental insurance plans, and the salary benchmarking with compensation adjustments.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

The Budget Meetings will be June 7, 8 and 9 at 6 p.m. The option is also always available to discuss moving the monthly Board meeting start time to before 7 p.m.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The Nominating Committee moved that the following slate of officers be approved:

Jillian Bernas, President

Julie Wroblewski Bosshart, Vice-President/Secretary

Theresa Seyring, Treasurer

Discussion included President Bernas thanking Trustee Forte-Scott for her years of service.

Trustee Pye moved and Trustee Mueller seconded the approval of the Nominating Committee’s Slate of Officers.

Roll Call Vote:

Mrs. Wroblewski Bosshart Yes

Mrs. Seyring Yes

Ms. Bernas Yes

Ms. Gilbert Yes

Mrs. Mueller Yes

Mrs. Pye Yes

Ms. Forte-Scott Yes

The motion passed unanimously.

 

NEW BUSINESS

Review of Third-Party Short-Term Disability Insurance

Discussion included moving the insurance to a third-party provider for administration.

Discussion and Approval of Temporary License Agreement with 121 W. Schaumburg Rd.

Discussion included this agreement being a six-month extension between the Library and the new property owner to allow time to decide about moving the gas station sign or breaking up the Library’s land parcel to sell. The paved parking area was not addressed in the agreement and the owner’s intention with this area is still unclear. Library attorney Kurt Asprooth recommended waiting to approve an agreement until both the sign and the parking area addressed. The Board agreed to not take action on an agreement until more information is obtained.

Approval of Meeting Room Policy

Trustee Gilbert moved and Trustee Forte-Scott seconded the approval of the Meeting Room Policy.

Roll Call Vote:

Mrs. Wroblewski Bosshart Yes

Mrs. Seyring Yes

Ms. Forte-Scott Yes

Ms. Gilbert Yes

Mrs. Mueller Yes

Mrs. Pye Yes

Ms. Bernas Yes

The motion passed unanimously.

 

ADJOURNMENT

Treasurer Seyring moved and Trustee Pye seconded that:

The Library Board adjourn regular session at 10:08 P.M.

Roll call vote:

Mrs. Wroblewski Bosshart Yes

Mrs. Seyring Yes

Ms. Forte-Scott Yes

Ms. Gilbert Yes

Mrs. Mueller Yes

Mrs. Pye Yes

Ms. Bernas Yes

The motion passed unanimously.